February 20
Events *1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a dowry payment. *1547 - Edward VI of England crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey. *1792 - The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, is signed by President George Washington. *1798 - Louis Alexandre Berthier removes Pope Pius VI from power. *1810 - Andreas Hofer, Tyrolean patriot and leader of rebellion against Napoleon's forces, was executed. *1816 - Gioachino Rossini's The Barber of Seville debuts at Teatro Argentina, with a fiasco. *1835 - Concepción is destroyed by an earthquake *1864 - Battle of Olustee *1872 - In New York City the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens. *1873 - The University of California opens its first medical school in San Francisco. *1901 - The legislature of Hawaii Territory convenes for the first time. *1909 - Publication of the Futurist Manifesto in the French journal Le Figaro *1913 - King O'Malley drives in the first survey peg to mark commencement of work on the construction of Canberra. *1931 - California gets the go-ahead by the U.S. Congress to build the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. *1942 - Lieutenant Edward O'Hare becomes America's first World War II flying ace. *1943 - American movie studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor movies. * 1943 - The Parícutin volcano begins to form in Paricutín, México. *1944 - World War II: "Big Week" ended with American bomber raids on Nazi aircraft manufacturing centers. * 1944 - World War II: The United States takes Eniwetok Island. *1947 - State of Prussia ceases to exist *1952 - Emmett Ashford becomes the first African-American umpire in organized baseball by being authorized to be a substitute umpire in the Southwestern International League. *1959 - The Avro Arrow program to design and manufacture supersonic jet fighters in Canada is cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political debate. *1962 - Mercury program: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn orbits the earth three times in 4 hours, 55 minutes, becoming the first American to orbit the earth. *1965 - Ranger 8 crashes into the moon after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts. *1976 - The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization disbands. *1987 - Unabomber: In Salt Lake City, in the USA, a bomb explodes in a computer store. *1991 - A gigantic statue of Albania's long-time dictator, Enver Hoxha, is brought down in the Albanian capital, Tirana, by mobs of angry protesters. *1998 - American figure skater Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest gold-medalist at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. *2002 - In Reqa Al-Gharbiya, Egypt, a fire on a train injures over 65 and kills at least 370. *2005 - Spain becomes the first country to vote in a referendum on ratification of the proposed Constitution of the European Union, passing it by a substantial margin, but on a low turnout. Births *1631 - Thomas Osborne, English statesman (d. 1712) *1745 - Henry James Pye, English poet (d. 1813) *1751 - Johann Heinrich Voß, German poet (d. 1826) *1753 - Louis Alexandre Berthier, French marshal (d. 1815) *1757 - John 'Mad Jack' Fuller, English philanthropist (d. 1834) *1794 - William Carleton, Irish novelist (d. 1869) *1802 - Charles de Bériot, Belgian violinist (d. 1870) *1819 - Alfred Escher, Swiss politician, railroad entrepreneur (d. 1882) *1839 - Benjamin Waugh, American minister; founder of the NSPCC (d. 1908) *1844 - Ludwig Boltzmann, Austrian physicist (d. 1906) * 1844 - Joshua Slocum, Canadian seaman and adventurer (d. 1909) *1848 - Edward Henry Harriman, American railroad executive (d. 1909) *1850 - Nérée Beauchemin, Canadian physician and poet (d. 1931) *1866 - Carl Westman, Swedish architect and designer (d. 1936) *1867 - Louise (d. 1931) *1880 - Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen, French aristocrat and novelist (d. 1923) *1887 - Vincent Massey, Governor-General of Canada (d. 1967) *1888 - Georges Bernanos, French writer (d. 1948) *1893 - Russel Crouse, American playwright (d. 1966) *1898 - Enzo Ferrari, Italian automobile manufacturer, designer and racing car driver (d. 1988) * 1898 - Jimmy Yancey, American pianist (d. 1951) *1899 - Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, American businessman (d. 1992) *1901 - Cecil Harmsworth King, English newspaper owner (d. 1987) * 1901 - Muhammad Naguib, President of Egypt (d. 1984) *1902 - Ansel Adams, American photographer (d. 1984) *1904 - Alexei Kosygin, Premier of the Soviet Union (d. 1980) *1906 - Gale Gordon, American television and radio actor (d. 1995) *1912 - Pierre Boulle, French author (d. 1994) *1914 - John Daly, South African-born broadcaster (d. 2001) *1920 - Evgeny Dragunov, Russian weapons designer (d. 1991) *1923 - Forbes Burnham, President of Guyana (d. 1985) *1924 - Gloria Vanderbilt, American socialite and clothing designer *1925 - Robert Altman, American film director (d. 2006) * 1925 - Heinz Kluncker, German trade union leader *1926 - Richard Matheson, American author *1927 - Roy Cohn, American lawyer (d. 1986) * 1927 - Ibrahim Ferrer, Cuban musician (Buena Vista Social Club) (d. 2005) * 1927 - Sidney Poitier, American actor *1929 - Amanda Blake, American actress (d. 1989) *1930 - Willie Cunningham, Northern Irish footballer *1934 - Bobby Unser, American racing driver *1936 - Marj Dusay, American actress * 1936 - Larry Hovis, American actor (d. 2003) *1937 - Robert Huber, German chemist, Nobel laureate * 1937 - Roger Penske, American racing driver * 1937 - Nancy Wilson, American singer *1938 - Richard Beymer, American actor *1939 - Frank Arundel, English footballer *1941 - Buffy Sainte-Marie, Canadian singer *1942 - Phil Esposito, Canadian ice hockey player * 1942 - Charlie Gillett, British radio DJ * 1942 - Mitch McConnell, American politician *1943 - Antonio Inoki, Japanese professional wrestler * 1943 - Mike Leigh, British film director *1944 - Robert de Cotret, French Canadian politician (d. 1999) * 1944 - Willem van Hanegem, Dutch footballer and coach * 1944 - Martina Newberry, American poet, writer *1945 - Brion James, American actor (d. 1999) *1945 - Annu Kapoor, Indian actor *1946 - Brenda Blethyn, English actress * 1946 - Richard Cocciante, French-Italian singer and songwriter * 1946 - Sandy Duncan, American singer and actress * 1946 - J. Geils, American guitarist (The J. Geils Band) *1947 - André van Duin, Dutch comedian * 1947 - Eggert Magnusson, Icelandic football executive * 1947 - Peter Osgood, English footballer (d. 2006) * 1947 - Peter Strauss, American actor *1948 - Pierre Bouchard, Canadian ice hockey player * 1948 - Jennifer O'Neill, Brazilian-born actress *1949 - Ivana Trump, Czech-born American socialite *1950 - Walter Becker, American guitarist (Steely Dan) * 1950 - Ken Shimura, Japanese performer and actor * 1950 - Tony Wilson, British journalist and impresario (d. 2007) *1951 - Edward Albert, American actor (d. 2006) * 1951 - Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom * 1951 - Randy California, American guitarist (Spirit) (d. 1997) * 1951 - Phil Neal, English footballer *1953 - Riccardo Chailly, Italian conductor * 1953 - Poison Ivy, American musician (The Cramps) *1954 - Jon Brant, American musician (Cheap Trick) * 1954 - Anthony Stewart Head, English actor * 1954 - Patty Hearst, American socialite *1956 - Rick Green, Canadian ice hockey player *1957 - Glen Hanlon, Canadian ice hockey coach *1957 - Charlie Adler, American voice actor *1959 - Bill Gullickson, American baseball player *1960 - Joel Hodgson, American comedian (Mystery Science Theater 3000) * 1960 - Kee Marcello, Swedish guitarist *1963 - Charles Barkley, American basketball player * 1963 - Ian Brown, English singer (The Stone Roses) * 1963 - Jon Lynn Christensen, former Nebraska Congressman *1964 - French Stewart, American actor *1966 - Cindy Crawford, American model *1967 - Kurt Cobain, American musician (Nirvana) (d. 1994) * 1967 - Andrew Shue, American television actor * 1967 - Lili Taylor, American actress *1968 - Ted Hankey, English darts player *1969 - Vaginal Davis, American drag queen and performance artist * 1969 - Gedo, Japanese professional wrestler *1971 - Jari Litmanen, Finnish footballer *1971 - Shawn McKenzie, American programmer *1972 - Brent Gretzky, Canadian ice hockey player * 1972 - K-OS, Canadian musician/rapper *1974 - Ophelie Winter, French actress *1975 - Liván Hernández, Cuban baseball player * 1975 - Brian Littrell, American singer (Backstreet Boys) *1976 - Ed Graham, English drummer (The Darkness) * 1976 - Gail Kim, Canadian professional wrestler *1977 - Bartosz Kizierowski, Polish swimmer * 1977 - Stephon Marbury, American basketball player * 1977 - T.J. Slaughter, American football player *1978 - Lauren Ambrose, American actress * 1978 - Jakki Degg, English glamour model/actress * 1978 - Jay Hernandez, American actor * 1978 - Julia Jentsch, German actress *1980 - Artur Boruc, Polish footballer *1980 - Massimo Donati, Italian footballer * 1980 - Imanol Harinordoquy, French rugby union footballer *1981 - Tony Hibbert, English footballer * 1981 - Chris Thile, American musician *1982 - Jason Hirsh, American baseball player *1983 - Justin Verlander, American baseball player *1985 - Ryan Sweeney, American baseball player * 1985 - Yulia Volkova, Russian singer (t.A.T.u.) *1988 - Rihanna, Barbadian singer *1989 - Melanie Leishman, Canadian actress Deaths * 702 - K'inich Kan B'alam II, king of the Maya state of Palenque (b. 635) *1154 - Saint Wulfric of Haselbury Plucknett *1171 - Conan IV (b. 1138) *1194 - King Tancred of Sicily *1258 - Al-Musta'sim, last Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad *1408 - Henry Percy, English statesman (b. 1342) *1431 - Pope Martin V (b. 1368) *1524 - Tecún Umán, last leader of the Quiché-Maya *1579 - Nicholas Bacon, English politician (b. 1509) *1618 - Philip William (b. 1554) *1626 - John Dowland, English composer and lutenist (b. 1563) *1762 - Tobias Mayer, German astronomer (b. 1723) *1771 - Jean Jacques d'Ortous de Mairan, French geophysicist (b. 1678) *1773 - King Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia (b. 1701) *1778 - Laura Bassi, Italian scholar (b. 1711) *1790 - Joseph II (b. 1741) *1803 - Marie Dumesnil, French actress (b. 1713) *1806 - Lachlan McIntosh, Scottish-born American military and political leader (b. 1725) *1810 - Andreas Hofer, Tyrolean national hero (executed) (b. 1767) *1871 - Paul Kane, Irish-born painter (b. 1810) *1893 - P.G.T. Beauregard, American Confederate general (b. 1818) *1895 - Frederick Douglass, American abolitionist writer (b. 1818) *1905 - Jeremiah W. Farnham, American merchant captain *1907 - Henri Moissan, French chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1852) *1916 - Klas Pontus Arnoldson, Swedish writer and pacifist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1844) *1920 - Robert Peary, American explorer (b. 1856) *1961 - Percy Grainger, Australian composer (b. 1882) *1963 - Ferenc Fricsay, Hungarian conductor (b. 1914) *1963 - Jacob Gade, Danish Composer(b. 1879) *1966 - Chester Nimitz, American admiral (b. 1885) *1968 - Anthony Asquith, British film director and writer (b. 1902) *1969 - Ernest Ansermet, Swiss conductor (b. 1883) *1970 - Sophie Treadwell, American playwright and journalist (b. 1885) *1972 - Maria Goeppert-Mayer, German physicist, Nobel laureate (b. 1906) * 1972 - Walter Winchell, American journalist (b. 1897) *1976 - René Cassin, French judge, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1887) * 1976 - Kathryn Kuhlman, American evangelist (b. 1907) *1980 - Bon Scott, lead singer of rock band AC/DC (b. 1946) *1981 - Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg, magazine editor, socialite (b. 1904) *1983 - Fritz Köberle, Austrian-Brazilian physician (b. 1910) *1985 - Clarence "Ducky" Nash, American voice actor (b. 1904) *1992 - Roberto D'Aubuisson, Salvadoran politician (b. 1944) * 1992 - Dick York, American actor (b. 1928) *1993 - Ferruccio Lamborghini, Italian automobile manufacturer (b. 1916) *1996 - Solomon Asch, American psychologist (b. 1907) * 1996 - Tōru Takemitsu, Japanese composer (b. 1930) *1997 - Zachary Breaux, American jazz guitarist (b. 1960) *1999 - Sarah Kane, English playwright (b. 1971) * 1999 - Gene Siskel, American film critic (b. 1946) *2000 - Anatoly Sobchak, Russian politician (b. 1937) *2001 - Rosemary DeCamp, American actress (b. 1910) *2003 - Maurice Blanchot, French author (b. 1907) * 2003 - Orville Freeman, American politician (b. 1918) * 2003 - Harry Jacunski, American football player * 2003 - Ty Longley, American guitarist (Great White) (b. 1971) * 2003 - Mushaf Ali Mir, Pakistani Chief of the Air Staff (b. 1947) *2005 - Pam Bricker, American jazz singer and Thievery Corporation vocalist (b. 1954) * 2005 - Sandra Dee, American actress (b. 1944) * 2005 - John Raitt, American actor (b. 1917) * 2005 - Hunter S. Thompson, American journalist and author (b. 1937) * 2005 - Tom Willmore, English geometer (b. 1919) *2006 - Curt Gowdy, American sportscaster (b. 1919) * 2006 - Lucjan Wolanowski, Polish journalist, writer and traveller (b. 1920) *2007 - F. Albert Cotton, American chemist (b. 1930) Holidays and observances * February 20 External links *BBC: On This Day * *On This Day in Canada ---- Category:February